The next time there’s a threat of a flash flood in downtown
Morgan Hill or a wildfire flares up on the west side of town, you
might get a text message from the city letting you know what
happened and how you should respond.
Morgan Hill
The next time there’s a threat of a flash flood in downtown Morgan Hill or a wildfire flares up on the west side of town, you might get a text message from the city letting you know what happened and how you should respond.
Morgan Hill Emergency Services are in the process of testing a new mass notification system that can quickly provide information and give instructions to residents in the event of an emergency, according to Morgan Hill Emergency Services Director Jennifer Ponce.
The system, known as Alert SCC, was purchased by Santa Clara County last year and is being tested in the cities of Morgan Hill and Mountain View before it is activated countywide.
Alert SCC uses modern technology and databases containing residents’ contact information to send out mass voicemail, e-mail and text messages to people who are anticipated to be affected by emergency events.
Ponce said city officials are only in the initial testing phase, but when the system is completely active, residents will be able to update their contact information via a city Web site and choose their preferred method of notification – voicemail, e-mail or text.
Neither the city nor the county currently have an effective way to quickly get the word out if an earthquake, flood, fire, toxic chemical spill or rash of violent crimes happens.
“We’re pretty excited to have this tool,” Ponce said. “It’s just another step in helping our city be better prepared.”
Ponce noted the system is based on similar technology known as Reverse 911, which was used in San Diego last summer to alert residents to get out of the way of rapidly spreading wildfires.
Kirstin Hofmann, Director of the Santa Clara County Office of Emergency Services, said Alert SCC will be rolled out in multiple phases over the next year, though an exact date for full implementation is not yet determined.
“We don’t have a comprehensive system like this,” said Hofmann. “This allows us to communicate to all citizens and provide information and instructions for many different emergency situations.”
The county has a three-year contract to use the system, which will cost $1.4 million per year. After three years, Hofmann said the system’s performance and effectiveness will be evaluated and the contract will be revisited.
The city of Morgan Hill will not incur any costs in its test of Alert SCC.
Ponce said her office has gotten as far as testing the system on city employees.
“Once we feel comfortable with that we’ll go live,” she said.
